August 6, 2004
Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1272)
RELEASE: SS04-025
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS04-025
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady
Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke
resumed scientific investigations, routine maintenance and
preparations for the arrival of a new cargo ship, after a successful
spacewalk on Tuesday.
Padalka and Fincke replaced experiments on the outside of the Zvezda
Service Module and installed navigation aids for next year's arrival
of a European cargo craft.
Wednesday, the crew cleaned and stowed their spacesuits and
spacewalking tools, recharged batteries, and filled water tanks for
the suits' cooling units. They also conducted debriefing sessions
with Russian spacewalk specialists. Also on Wednesday, ground
controllers in Houston repressurized the Station with nitrogen from
the High Pressure Gas Tanks on the Quest Airlock.
Earlier today, the crew started assembling a cover that will protect a
new flex hose on the window of the Destiny Laboratory to ensure it
will not inadvertently be damaged by crew activity in the research
module.
The crew wrapped up its week with Fincke conducting more experiments
with advanced ultrasound equipment. He also updated software for the
Station Acceleration Measurement System, which collects information
on the effect of crew activity on delicate microgravity experiments
housed on board the complex.
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, final preparations are under
way for next Wednesday's launch of a new Russian Progress cargo ship.
It will transport almost three tons of food, fuel, water and supplies
for Padalka and Fincke, as well as clothing and supplies for the
Expedition 10 crew, Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer and
Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov. Chiao and Sharipov are scheduled
to launch to the Progress craft, the 15th to visit the Station, is
scheduled to lift off at 1:03 a.m. EDT Wednesday for a three-day trip
to the Station. Docking is scheduled at 1:02 a.m. EDT Aug. 14. NASA
Television will provide live coverage and commentary of the docking
beginning at midnight Aug. 13.
For information about NASA and agency missions on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
Information about crew activities on the Space Station, future launch
dates and Station sighting opportunities from Earth, is available on
the Internet at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/
Details about Station science operations are available on an Internet
site administered by the Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at:
http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/
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